Accounting Technology articles from January 2004

Accounting Technology archives from January 2004

Universal computing.(Editor's Note)
January 1, 2004... A handful of events and developments in the world of desktop computing qualify as great things. The advent of PC-based computing itself was one. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Follow with Local Area Networks, the graphical interface (okay,...

Exact resellers unite.(Practice Development News)
January 1, 2004... Exact Software resellers in 10 Midwestern and Southern states have banded together as the Esta Group, which bills itself as Exact's top business partner. Jeff McCullough, chief operating officer at Saginaw, Mich.-based Yeo & Yeo Computer...

Best-only vars inked.(Practice Development News)
January 1, 2004... Best Software has enrolled nearly 200 resellers who have agreed to sell only Best Software products as part of the company's Partner Advantage Program, introduced in May. Participants must also be in the top three tier levels within the...

MBS lowers interest rates.(Practice Development News)
January 1, 2004... Microsoft has reduced the interest charges on its Total Financing Solution, a lease purchase system available to Microsoft Business Solutions resellers. The company reduced interest rates by as much as 30 percent for a program that was...

Businessvision honors six.(Practice Development News)
January 1, 2004... A Canadian reseller, Rowie Walker & Associates of Don Mills, Ontario, was cited for Overall Achievement for 2003 by BusinessVision through six Visionary Awards. Other honors were awarded as follows: Charles Annis of Icon, based in Falls...

Businessone builds channel.(Practice Development News)
January 1, 2004... SAP reports that it has signed 19 organizations to resell its BusinessOne accounting and CRM software. Recent additions to the program include LPS Consulting, a Best Software and Accpac reseller based in Fanwood, N.J., headed by Pat...

Zanett turns profit.(Practice Development News)
January 1, 2004... Zanett, which owns the Brandywine Group, a Great Plains reseller and J.D. Edwards implementer based in Mason, Ohio, reported a $1.5 million profit on a 13 percent rise in revenue for the second quarter ended September 30, a turnaround from a...

Blytheco tops best channel.(Practice Development News)
January 1, 2004... Blytheco, a reseller based in Laguna Hills, Calif., has been named Best Software's Partner of the Year Overall for 2003, the sixth time it has received the honor in seven years. The company, founded by Stephen Blythe, has also been named to...

How accountants receive data.(Practice Development News)
January 1, 2004... How Accountants Receive Data Other Software 3% Spreadsheets 7% Paper 68% QuickBooks Files 24% Most accountants still receive data from their clients on paper, according to an Intuit survey of 1,000 small...

MBS losses drop.(Accounting News)
January 1, 2004... Microsoft Business Solutions lost $79 million for the first quarter ended September 30, down from $94 million in last year's corresponding period as revenue rose 20.7 percent. The company's reporting of divisional results does not include...

Sage completes buy.(Accounting News)
January 1, 2004... Sage Software has completed its acquisition of Softline, the South African company that markets the BusinessVision, AccountMate, and Datafaction accounting software lines in the United States. Best has not issued any statements on its plans...

Epicor buys Scala.(Accounting News)
January 1, 2004... Epicor is paying about $87 million, half in cash and half in stock, to buy Scala Business Solutions, a financial software vendor headquartered in Amsterdam. The purchase of Scala will add about $250 million in revenue to Epicor's results,...

Radio Beacon teams with BusinessVision.(Accounting News)
January 1, 2004... Radio Beacon, a Toronto-based company that makes warehouse management software, plans to integrate its system with the BusinessVision accounting software line. Radio Beacon WMS will link with BusinessVision 32 Limited, Small Business,...

SAP inks Sybase.(Accounting News)
January 1, 2004... SAP has agreed to use Sybase's database engine for SAP's BusinessOne software, an agreement that includes partnering for mobile and wireless services. The companies will integrate BusinessOne with Sybase's ASE data management system, while...

Best taps CRM GM.(Accounting News)
January 1, 2004... Best Software has named Jon Van Duyne senior vice president and general manager of the company's CRM Solutions Business Unit, the former Interact. Van Duyne takes over a position most recently held by Tim Fargo, who left the company in...

Open Systems signs Red Hat.(Accounting News)
January 1, 2004... Open Systems, a Shakopee, Minn.-based accounting software company, has been certified by Red Hat, one of the major vendors of the Linux operating system. The OSAS line (not including its Traverse software) has been certified to run on all...

Sage U.S. profits up.(Accounting News)
January 1, 2004... The Sage Group, which owns Best Software, reported that operating profits for its American operations rose by 17.1 percent on a 3.9 percent increase in revenue for the year ended September 30. Best's CRM operations led the way with an 18...

WK results drop.(Tax & Financial Planning News)
January 1, 2004... Wolters Kluwer, parent to CCH and Aspen Publishers, saw its earnings in North America drop by 13.5 percent for the third quarter ended September 30, while revenue slumped by 2.5 percent. Recent EBITA results were $171 million for the...

PPC offers office versions.(Tax & Financial Planning News)
January 1, 2004... Practitioners Publishing Co. will begin offering its practice aids in Microsoft Word and Excel formats in the spring. The Office versions can be used with PPC's print or paperless products. The spring releases will involve audit products...

Forefield updates KnowledgeTrust.(Tax & Financial Planning News)
January 1, 2004... Forefield, a Marlboro, Mass.-based company that provides financial planning information, has substantially increased the amount of content available through its KnowledgeTrust suite. The company described the change as providing 300 percent...

WK renames unit.(Tax & Financial Planning News)
January 1, 2004... Wolters Kluwer has increased the visibility of its name in the United States by renaming its Legal, Tax & Business North America as the Wolters Kluwer Tax, Accounting, and Legal Division. The group includes CCH US Publishing, CCH Canada,...

OPI gets funds.(Tax & Financial Planning News)
January 1, 2004... Outsource Partners International, which provides outsourced finance and accounting services, has completed a $20 million round of financing, to expand production in Indian and pay off debt from its 2002 purchase of the Business Process...

EISI picks Yodlee.(Tax & Financial Planning News)
January 1, 2004... Emerging Information Systems, which markets the NaviPlan financing planning line, has integrated its products with the AdvisorView aggregation system from Yodlee. The integration will enable users of Naviplan to import Yodlee data into the...

MasterPlan adds research center.(Tax & Financial Planning News)
January 1, 2004... An online research center, along with Web conferencing, has been added to the services offered by MasterPlan via its Web site at www.masterplanner.com. The MasterPlan Research Center provides more than 3,000 pages of financial information...

ADP sets up suite.(Tax & Financial Planning News)
January 1, 2004... ADP Small Business Services has introduced the EasyPay Data Access Suite, a Web-based suite that lets payroll clients share payroll data with their accountants, regardless of how the data is entered. This means that accountants have access...

Intuit sales grow.(Tax & Financial Planning News)
January 1, 2004... Intuit reported that revenue for the first quarter ended October 31 rose 14 percent over the prior year, as the company narrowed its loss in a period for which it normally reports losses. Revenue hit $242.5 million, up from $212.9 million...

Women in charge: there is a new crop of female leaders in technology companies serving the accounting market.(Cover Story)
January 1, 2004... It would not take much of a memory to recall when there was no woman executive in the top spot of a major accounting and tax software company--just over two years, as a matter of fact. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] But now, women occupy the...

Many happy returns: refund anticipation loans and other bank products are gaining in popularity.
January 1, 2004... ATX chief executive Glynn Willett has news for the professional tax community: "Refund anticipation loan services have moved from the niche H & R Block market to the general-preparation Enrolled Agent and Certified Public Accountant market."...

Payroll pays: these packages help make a necessary chore profitable.
January 1, 2004... Found on a sticky note attached to a CPA's computer are these New Year's resolutions for 2004: 1. Exercise more. 2. Lose weight. 3. Work less. 4. Evaluate and implement payroll processing software. While implementing payroll processing...

Webinars: the new age speak-easy; Webinars are gaining momentum and generating more leads.
January 1, 2004... Imagine this scenario: More than 300 people gather to learn about the newest upgrade to their accounting software and they haven't had to spend hundreds of dollars traveling to attend the class. In fact, they're still at their desks in front of...

Show calendar.(Calendar)
January 1, 2004... JANUARY 21-24 Blackbaud Partner Summit 2004, Kiawah Island Resort, Charleston, S.C. www.blackbaud.com [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] JANUARY 26-27 Boomer Consulting External Consulting Symposium 2004, The Fairmont at the Plaza,...

Vertical migrations: third-party niche applications are becoming as scalable as the accounting software packages with which they integrate.
January 1, 2004... When Gentec International, a rapidly growing Canadian wholesale distributor, was on the lookout for better inventory control and sales analysis, it didn't think twice about switching from Aperum's Facts business/financial management software to...

MYOB Plus 2004.(New Products)
January 1, 2004... With MYOB Plus 2004, users can create sales and authorize credit cards in one step, and process direct deposit of employee paychecks from within the accounting software package. Electronic vendor payments lets a business manager take...

Portfolio Tax Analyzer.(New Products)
January 1, 2004... Powered by XciTax, the Tax Analyzer was created to shorten the time-consuming process of researching securities payment and cost-basis information needed to complete tax forms (Schedule B and D). Calculations for any holding period are...

Business Analysis Suite.(New Products)
January 1, 2004... Accpac Business Advisor, part of the Business Analysis Suite, enables accountants in public practice to develop a standard business analysis methodology and create presentation-quality analysis reports and business improvement proposals. ...

Payroll Relief AC.(New Products)
January 1, 2004... Payroll Relief AC, hosted by AccountantsWorld, processes payroll through a privately labeled service on the accountant's Web site. The service can be customized for each client. The accountant or client enters the payroll information and...

Ultimate Business Planner 2.0.(New Products)
January 1, 2004... Ultimate Business Planner evaluates new business ideas and strategies, and projects financial outcomes before users invest time and money and apply for business loans and lines of credit. Users can find sample business plan text, grouped by...

BusinessVision 32 Version 7.(New Products)
January 1, 2004... BusinessVision 32 Version 7 integrates with vertical solutions such as Manufacturing, Warehouse Management, CRM, and Point-of-Sale. The package links with Timeslips, as well as Starship Software, which handles all shipping tasks including...

Peachtree for Manufacturing.(New Products)
January 1, 2004... Peachtree Premium Accounting for Manufacturing, with multi-level BOM Processing with Revision Tracking, can create multi-level bills of materials of up to 300 components that can be revised even after the assembly units have been sold. All BOM...

Simply Accounting Payroll.(New Products)
January 1, 2004... Simply Accounting Payroll operates as a standalone payroll system or can integrate with Intuit QuickBooks, MYOB, or Simply Accounting Versions 6.0 to 9.0. It maintains employee profiles, and tracks earnings and benefits, expenses,...

Digital Process Management.(New Products)
January 1, 2004... Selden Integrated Systems' Digital Process Management (DPM) software digitally stores client information and project details in one central location. Information stored in Client Digital Files can be accessed at any workstation....

BusinessWorks Gold 4.0.(New Products)
January 1, 2004... The Consolidated Cash Flow Report in BusinessWorks Gold Version 4.0 forecasts and manages cash for business users. Combining inflow from receivables, outflow from payables, and current cash balances in the general ledger, the report helps...

Cash Management.(New Products)
January 1, 2004... Microsoft Business Solutions and Bank One's Integrated Cash Management suite enables mid-market companies to automatically send and receive files between the Great Plains Edition and Bank One's cash management services. Functions include...

Profiles+ Matrix.(New Products)
January 1, 2004... Profiles+ Matrix combines data consolidation with a synchronization interface to give advisors the ability to integrate data from multiple sources, such as enterprise back offices, banks, brokerage firms, and insurance and mutual fund...

QuickBase.(New Products)
January 1, 2004... QuickBase allows IT professionals to manage their project portfolios, track incoming requests, and share knowledge. Project Portfolio Manager tracks requests for major projects, and prioritizes them by risk, cost, and business impact,...

GT Pro 3.0.(New Products)
January 1, 2004... The Endowment Management module in GT Pro 3.0 administers, views, and manages the details of complex endowment funds, including philanthropic funds, donor-advised funds, Charitable Remainder Trusts, and Charitable Gift Annuities. The...

NumberCruncher 2004.(New Products)
January 1, 2004... NumberCruncher 2004 performs about 1,000 calculations about a variety of investments, business valuations, and tax factors provide a comprehensive estate planning decision-making tool. The system also offers Windows graphics and...

Intacct ePractice: making it simple.(Channels)
January 1, 2004... Even though Intacct has significantly raised the initial fees for accounting firms that join its e-Practice program, the company says firms are getting more services for their money. It's something of a pay us now, don't pay us later program,...

Michael Facer: technology believer.(Accounting Technologist)
January 1, 2004... Michael Facer has no second thoughts about the value for accountants of offering technology consulting services. "CPAs, in general, are information providers. It's a natural fit for us to know about technology, and transfer this knowledge to...

In search of special distinction.(Editor's Note)
January 1, 2004... Vince Lombardi, the legendary football coach, once said that the quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor. In today's world, nothing could be closer to...

Managing wealth.(Tech Tools)
January 1, 2004... CCH's Wealth Management: A Concise Guide to Financial Planning and Investment Management for Wealthy Clients, covers financial planning and investment management as an integrated whole. It begins with a discussion of setting goals for wealth...

Improving client service.(Tech Tools)
January 1, 2004... Advent's Asset Manager is designed to help firms address two major issues in their business: controlling operating risk and maintaining a high level of client service. The software is available in two modules, featuring functionality for firms...

Consolidating data.(Tech Tools)
January 1, 2004... Financial Profiles's Profiles+ Matrix combines data consolidation with an integrated synchronization interface to provide wealth management advisors with the ability to acquire, consolidate, and synchronize financial data. Profiles+ Matrix...

Portfolio Pathfinder.(Tech Tools)
January 1, 2004... The Portfolio Pathfinder, an asset allocation product, is now integrated with the Methuselah planning platform. Financial planning professionals can use it to advise clients on asset allocations and meet long-term financial goals. Portfolio...

Time & billing really matters.(Asset Builders)
January 1, 2004... Billing Matters 5.0 is the advanced billing system from the makers of Time Matters, the most widely-used business and practice management systems. From Data. TXT. Corporation, Billing Matters is designed to manage the full range of billing...

Business Plan Pro.(Asset Builders)
January 1, 2004... Palo Alto Software has released the latest version of its flagship business planning software, Business Plan Pro for 2004 and Business Plan Pro 2004 Premier. The intention is to add more flexibility to text editing and give users their number...

Independent entity for Broker-Dealers.(Asset Builders)
January 1, 2004... The Financial Planning Association and its Broker-Dealer Advisory Council have agreed to launch an independent organization to serve the unique needs of broker-dealer and registered investment advisor firms that handle independent contractor...

Master Builder Associate Program.(Asset Builders)
January 1, 2004... Intuit has a new Master Builder Authorized Associate Program which helps accountants and business consultants better serve the specific needs of their construction-industry clients while offering them programs, services, and benefits to grow...

The hot job for 2004.(Asset Builders)
January 1, 2004... According to a recent Monster.com survey, 82 percent of Americans are dissatisfied with their jobs. So, where are people heading? Recruiters identified a number of trends creating job opportunities for this year. The first concerns the aging...

First Digital Process Management software.(Practice Growth)
January 1, 2004... The first Digital Process Management software solution has been introduced by Selden Integrated Systems (Greeley, Colo.). The system helps CPAs establish, automate, and implement best practices to improve workflow and increase productivity....

Professional 7.0 now on market.(Practice Growth)
January 1, 2004... Financial Profiles has announced the availability of Profiles+ Professional 7.0, a major version release of its flagship financial analysis software solution. Profiles+ Professional 7.0 features enhanced Tax Sensitivity functionality for...

Influencing individual investment decisions.(Practice Growth)
January 1, 2004... A study recently published by the Financial Planning Association finds that consumer expectations about the direction of inflation, interest rates, and the economy strongly influence their investment decisions, often in ways counter to...

Winning in the Invisible Market.(Practice Growth)
January 1, 2004... Robert Potter's new book, Winning in the Invisible Market, helps accounting professionals and CPA firms acquire new business in tough economic times; it is aimed at consultants and professional firms. The book details an internal culture change...

CFP Programs at 286.(Practice Growth)
January 1, 2004... The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards announced that its subsidiary Board of Examiners has registered 15 new financial planning education programs at 10 institutions, bringing the total of CFP Board-Registered Programs to 286 at...

California still has problems.(Practice Growth)
January 1, 2004... Financial planners are telling their clients in this state to start saving for their childrens' education early--even before the baby is born, if possible. Why? Because California college tuition rates are rising faster than ever. In fact,...

AccTrak21 in partnership arrangement.(Partners)
January 1, 2004... A distribution partnership between AccTrak21 and Plante & Moran, a leading accounting and management consulting firm based in Southfield, Mich., was announced whereby the firm will offer Acctrak21 accounting and business management solutions to...

Adding enhanced online services.(Partners)
January 1, 2004... Corillian and CashEdge have announced an expansion of the companies' strategic partnership whereby Corillian will integrate CashEdge's Online Money Movement Inter-Institution Transfer and Pay Anyone services into the Voyager Internet banking...

Fresh Approach/fresh thinking.(Partners)
January 1, 2004... ING and the Financial Planning Association have joined forces to recognize the fresh thinking and extraordinary work of top independent and institutional financial planners via a program called "A Fresh Approach." Through a series of...

Miami firm expands.(Partners)
January 1, 2004... Morrison, Brown, Argiz & Company, the Miami-based accounting and management consultant firm, has changed its named to Morrison, Brown, Argiz & Farra, and expanded its capabilities by joining with Fort Lauderdale's Peed, Koross & Finkelstein....

Offering business intelligence solutions.(Partners)
January 1, 2004... Altara and Visual Interactions have formed a partnership that will bring the benefits of a proven business intelligence solution to Altara's current and future customers. The agreement outlines plans to engage in joint marketing, sales, and...

No more legal services.(Regulatory Watch)
January 1, 2004... Out of London comes word that accounting giant KPMG says it will cease providing legal services and will sever all ties to law practices in some 60 countries. Gavin Houlgate, who heads corporate communications for KPMG in the UK, notes that...

Heads up for new rules.(Regulatory Watch)
January 1, 2004... The Canadian Securities Administrators say that companies should start getting ready for new deadlines and different disclosure rules that could go into effect during the first quarter of 2004. It notes that although the proposed rules have not...

Multilateral agreement on enforcement.(Regulatory Watch)
January 1, 2004... The Securities and Exchange Commission has announced the public unveiling by the International Organization of Securities Commissions of its Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Consultation and Cooperation and the Exchange of...

MetLife buying TIAA-CREF unit.(Regulatory Watch)
January 1, 2004... MetLife says it will purchase TIAA-CREF's long-term care insurance business. Subject to regulatory approval, the deal, the terms of which were not disclosed, would be closed in 2004. Bert Scott, executive vice president for product management...

New guides for charities.(Regulatory Watch)
January 1, 2004... The Internal Revenue Service has published two new brochures to help charities understand the tax laws conferring tax-exempt status. IRS Publication 4220, Applying for 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Status, is designed to help prospective charities apply...

Excellence: first annual financial planning awards.(Cover Story)
January 1, 2004... In this issue, CPA Wealth Provider presents the first of what it intends to be annual financial planning awards. It is honoring CPA/financial planning firms, broker/dealers, and financial planning software vendors, as well as providing special...

The 80 percent tax trap.(Enhanced Insurance Strategy)
January 1, 2004... In an estate plan, an enhanced insurance strategy can ensure that Uncle Sam doesn't get the lion's share of retirement assets. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For the better part of the last century, financial planners and insurance agents sold...

Beware the ad valorem tax.(Challenging Property Assessments)
January 1, 2004... Does competitive pressures or economic recession limit the client's business income? Is the client's personal disposable income diminished by reduced rates on the investment portfolio? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Why not reduce business or...